Buckle



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Patented Dec. 14!,

SAMUEL WHITELEY CRITCHLEY,

hurrah srarr OE PROVIDENCE, R-HODE ISLAND;

BUCKLE.

Application filed July 16,

The present invention relates to improvements in buckles for uniting the loose ends of a belt or strap. 7

Among the principal objects which the invention has in view are: To provide a buckle which is very simple and cheap to manufacture and which may be stamped out of sheet metal; to provide a buckle of this character adapted to be easily attached to or detached from the belt so that a person using the belt may have a number of buckles and change from one to another very rapidly and easily; to provide, in combination with the loose ends of a belt, a buckle for uniting said ends whereby the free end is disposed in service beneath the end carrying the buckle and thus the necessity for keepers for the free end is eliminated; and generally to improve, render more effective, and simplify the construction of buckles.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a belt with the loose ends united by a buckle constructed in accordance with the invention, and showing the buckle in front elevation;

Figure 2 is a rear view of the belt and buckle; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the several views, the numeral, 10, indicates a belt or strap and the numeral, 11, indicates a buckle for uniting the loose ends thereof. As shown in the drawings, the buckle is formed of sheet metal, as by stamping, and it is preferably diamondshaped, although, of course, other shapes may be employed, if desired. An insignia, 12, or same other form of ornamentation, may be fashioned on the front of the buckle to improve the appearance of the same and to render it more pleasing to the eye.

One end of the buckle is provided with a bent lug portion, 18, which extends through a perforation at one end of the belt and is secured in place as by means of a cotter pin, 14. The other end of the buckle is pro- 1926. Serial No. 122,767.

vided with a hook, 15, which is adapted to fit in perforation, 16, near the free end of the belt and thus unite the loose ends of the belt. In actual use a number of such perforations are usually provided so that the belt may conform to waistlines of various girths. The angle of the hook, 15, may also be changed to allow it to easily enter the perforations regardless of the size of the waistline to which the belt is fitted.

The chief advantage in the above described construction is its extreme simplicity.

lhe buckle may be easily and rapidly detached from the belt by withdrawing the cotter pin and a new buckle secured thereto with equal facility and rapidity. Thus a person employing the belt may have a number of buckles and change from one to another with little difficulty. The loose ends of the belt are disposed in service in the manner shown best in Figure 3 with the free end beneath the end to which the buckle is secured so that there is no necessity for keepers for the free end such as are requisite where the free end is disposed on the outer surface of the end to which the buckle is secured. Moreover, the present construction is such that there are only-two thicknesses of belt at any one place as contrasted with the usualconstructions wherein three thicknesses are needed with the resultant employment of rivets and similar devices for fastening two of said thicknesses together. The present construction, there fore, is much cheaper and less expensive.

It will be understood that the buckle may be composed of any material whatsoever. The material selected will be largely a matter of taste and will depend on the quality of buckle desired. With the cheaper grades, a material such as brass may be employed to advantage, while with the more expensive grades, silver and even gold may be used. c

Various slight alterations may be made in the above construction without departing from the spirit of the invention and I desire to be limited only by the stateof the prior art and the scope of the appended claim. I p

I claim:

A buckle for uniting the loose ends of a belt, said buckle having a lug extending through a perforation in one end of the 5 belt, means for detachably securing the lug in the perforation, and a hook on the buckle for engaging in a perforation in the other end of the belt whereby said other end is disposed beneath the end to which the buckle is secured. I 10 In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this third (3) day of July, 1926.

SAIVIUEL WHITELEY GRITCH LEY. 

